Roof Fund Appeal Letter - Update and Further Appeal
Church of the Holy Rood, Woodeaton
Dear Supporter
The Church of the Holy Rood - Roof Restoration Update
As you may be aware, we commenced the process of raising funds for the replacement of the church roof in the summer of 2008. With the involvement and support of English Heritage, it became evident that in order to replace the roof and carry out other essential repairs we would require substantially more than early estimates had indicated. The sum required was, in fact, in the region of £157,000, which represented an enormous task for the small community of Woodeaton. A Fund-Raising Team was established, which set to work on developing a strategy for raising the funds needed.
In December 2008, we learnt that our application to English Heritage had been successful. In fact, we had secured the single largest grant given by English Heritage for the whole of Oxfordshire in 2008, which was an enormous achievement. Indeed, without this, the project would almost certainly not have been able to proceed.
We have now raised funds in the region of £144,000. This includes grants and donations from a wide range of organisations, charitable trusts and individuals
as well as funds raised through local events such as the Summer 2008 Launch and Drinks party, the Sponsored Row, the Concert of Music and Song, the Auction of Promises, the sponsored Otmoor Challenge and the sale of Christmas cards.
The Fund-Raising Committee is now focused on complying with the deadlines and timelines set out in the English Heritage Grants Procedure. To this end an accredited architect has been appointed and the contract has been put out to tender. We are now in receipt of the four quotes we were required to obtain, with the aim being to commence works on site in April for an anticipated duration of six months. Unfortunately, the outcome of this process is that we find ourselves with an additional shortfall of approximately £50,000 which seriously jeopardises the target start date for the works. Although we are in the process of approaching English Heritage for a grant enhancement we appreciate that not all, if any, of the shortfall may be made up by them. Indeed, only recently the media has made reference to reductions in grant aid due to the current economic climate.
We are, therefore, making a further appeal for financial assistance. Please accept our apologies for this direct approach. If you have not already made a contribution, we would be grateful if you would consider doing so. If you have already donated, perhaps you would consider a further donation? If you have already donated and do not wish to make a further contribution then we thank you for your time in reading this letter and hope it has provided you with an update on the current situation. We would also like to take this opportunity again to thank you for your support and to reassure you that the Committee remains committed to the project.
For anyone who does feel able to make a donation, this may be undertaken by sending a cheque to the address below made payable to Woodeaton, Holy Rood PCC Restoration Account.
Should you have any further request for information then please contact myself by post at the address below or by email to jojogood@btinternet.com
All donations will be acknowledged.
With many thanks
The Reverend Charles Masheder Joanna W Goodfellow
Church Warden
6 Nourse Close
Woodeaton
, Oxford
OX3 9TJ
